2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to breathing circuits and more particularly to wye junctions for those breathing circuits.
2. PRIOR ART
A breathing system may be defined as an assembly of tubing that provides passage of the flow of respiratory gases between a ventilator or anesthesia machine and a patient. The breathing system includes a tracheal tube, the tracheal tube connector, a breathing tube or tubes, adapters and other components sometimes used within the assembly such as humidifiers, monitoring spirometers, airway pressure monitors, oxygen analyzers and end tidal CO.sub.2 analyzers.
These breathing systems maybe utilized to assist or sustain patients by mechanical ventilation, either in conjunction with surgical anesthesia or in long-term ventilatory support. Examples of systems such as this may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,240,417 and 4,463,755.
In these breathing systems however, disconnection may sometimes result, leading to an injury or death. The causes of such accidental disconnection are complex and are such as to relatively rarely cause an injury. Disconnection events are fairly common in critical care and is anesthesia. They occur principally at or immediately adjacent the tracheal tube connection to the rest of the breathing system.
Other U.S. Patents which show an attempt to deal with the junctures of tracheal tubes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,475,548 and 4,346,702.
While recommendations for snug or tight interfitting connectors or wyes have been made they are at best awkward to use and may interfere with convenience to the patient or to the caring personnel. Other problems with a standard friction fit connection include the possibility of leakage at these joints, which would most certainly effect other personnel inasmuch as the gases being transported within these tracheal tubes may be any type of anesthetic including halothene, isothane or even ether. Any leakage of these gases would certainly have a detrimental effect on medical personnel adjacent the patient being treated.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a wye interconnection arrangement in a breathing circuit which is articulatable to permit portions thereof to swivel according to the needs of the patient and of the administrator.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an interconnection arrangement for a breathing system which is articulatable with one hand.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a interconnecting means for a breathing circuit which will not permit the escape of gaseous fluids passing therewithin.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a swivel assembly interconnection device which will not come apart when moved or swiveled in a normal course of a patient's movement.